The COVID-19 pandemic wiped out any chance Jack Cassar had of getting an NFL mini-camp invite.

It also delayed his start as a CFL rookie. The second-round draft pick (11th overall) would have begun rookie camp wth the Toronto Argonauts Wednesday, with full training camp starting Sunday. But that was pre-COVID-19. Right now, the CFL is at a standstill, the start of camps and the regular-season schedule pushed back indefinitely. But it sure looks like once the clouds of the deadly virus lift, Cassar, the Carleton Ravens star middle linebacker, has a bright future ahead.

Asked what kind of player Cassar can be, Ravens head coach Steve Sumarah said: “Obviously I’m speaking with a bit of bias, but I think he’s a 10-year pro – he’s one of those guys. You compare him to big Canadian linebackers, the first guy you think of is Mike O’Shea. I think he’s got all of the tools and, more importantly, the drive to want to be that guy. He’s going to be a helluva pro. He’s physical, he’s fast, he’s smart. If things didn’t go as they did, I honestly thought he had an outside shot at the NFL. Unfortunately (because of COVID lockdowns), pro days didn’t exist.”

A comparison to O’Shea is a huge compliment. Now the Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach, O’Shea is one of the best linebackers to play in the CFL, a Canadian Football Hall of Famer. So, yeah, it’s a helluva comparison to make. Cassar is a long, long way from that. But he’s putting in the work to at least get his foot in the door if/when CFL training camps open.

“It’s going to take some time adjusting to the system,” said Cassar, who’s 6-foot-4 and nearly 240 lbs. “I’m ready to play on all the special teams and contribute there to start, but at the same time I’m going to be competing with the guys on the depth chart for that linebacker role.

“People have compared me to (O’Shea), that’s an honour – obviously he was a bit before my time. (The Argos) told me I reminded them of (Montreal Alouettes linebacker) Henoc Muamba and his style of play. They told me they could see me as a middle linebacker in the CFL. I was hoping for a coach who would see the same thing I see so it was pretty reassuring when they told me that.”

As a Raven, Cassar was dominant. He was named the OUA’s Outstanding Defensive Player and an All-Canadian in 2019 after getting 44 tackles, four sacks and one fumble recovery. During his four years at Carleton, he had 157 total tackles, eight sacks and one interception.

Jack CassarPostmedia

“His ability to play tackle to tackle is extraordinary, but he does have the ability to run with guys,” said Sumarah. “Even though he’s a 6-foot-4, 238-pound guy, he can run. The reason most of the (Canadian college football linebackers) can’t (start at that position in the CFL) is the matchup between your tailback and your MAC backer is never a good one. I’m not saying he’s going to be able to run with everybody, but he’s got the ability to cover. That’s the key in the Canadian game, you have to be able to cover.”

Cassar took the winter semester off school to drive to Tampa Bay, where he rented an apartment and trained with former CFL player Taylor Scott from January into March. He wanted to ensure he was good to go after tearing his meniscus during Carleton’s last regular-season game, twisting it while he was running down the field on a kickoff. Last spring, he had fractured an ankle.

“It’s been a long ride, with the injuries and everything,” he said. “I’m happy things went with the way they did and that I’m healthy again.”

Getting picked by the Argos was exciting – his hometown is nearby Mississauga.

“I had a bunch of different things going through my mind on draft night,” said Cassar. “My family and I, obviously, didn’t know what team I was going to. So we were sitting there waiting. When I got a call from Toronto, everyone got excited and we waited for the pick.”

Cassar actually got his start in football in Dubai (his stepfather got a job there), where he lived from Grade 5-8.

“I found that I liked the physicality of the game,” he said. “Football allowed me to be physical without getting penalties.”

While he was in Dubai, he also played baseball. A first baseman/catcher, his team played in a Little League World Series qualifier.

The family moved back to Canada and Cassar was at Lorne Park Secondary School for Grades 9 and 10. He went west for Grade 11 at Notre Dame in Saskatchewan and did his Grade 12 at the Canada Prep Academy in St. Catharines where he was a teammate of Ottawa’s Neville Gallimore (who was recently selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the third round of the NFL Draft).

“At the beginning, moving around was tough, but I got used to it,” said Cassar. “I was pretty comfortable with it.”

Cassar had U.S. college football offers, but didn’t have the 16 core courses to be eligible for Division 1. And now, he’s got an opportunity to play professional football, something he plans to take full advantage of with his combination of size and speed.

“It was always my aspiration to play in the NFL, it still is,” said Cassar. “Being the aggressive linebacker I am, people like to think, ‘Maybe his coverage skills are lacking.’ But I like to think I’m pretty balanced in terms of being able to pass rush against the O-linemen, drop back into coverage to intercept some balls and being able to make tackles in the open field.

“(With the delay in camps) I’m just going to focus on myself right now. When the league starts to open up, I’ll be ready to go.”

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